Erie Insurance - Armory Building

Erie Insurance — Armory Building

Client: Erie Insurance Group

Location: Sixth and Parade St., Erie, Pennsylvania

Dates: Original building – 1920/1929; Renovation completed – 2015

Size: 40,000 SF

National Register of Historic Places: Individually listed.

Tax Credits: Federal and Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credits

Located at East Sixth and Parade streets, the Erie Armory was built for the 112th Infantry of the Pennsylvania National Guard in two phases. The original building was designed by Pittsburgh architect, Joseph F. Kuntz (1868–1930), of the W.G. Wilkins Company and completed in 1920. An addition was constructed on the east side of the building in 1929.

Erie Insurance purchased the building in 2013 to preserve the historic site and convert the interior into modern office space. Kidder Architects returned missing architectural features to their original design, including the reconstruction of 10 roof dormers and reinstallation of a red clay tile roof original windows in the drill hall were removed and replaced with glass block in the early 1970s. This project involved replacing the glass block with new windows that replicate the appearance of the original windows, using the original building drawings for reference. The Armory was made accessible with the construction of a modern entrance addition at the west end of the building, including an elevator and stairway. Interior spaces feature an open office environment in the original drill hall, private offices, meeting spaces, and an employee lounge. The renovation project included architectural, civil, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, technology and security engineering services.

1929.09 - Armory - DD Floor Plans and Elevations - East Half (similar to what built).jpg

1920.09 - Armory - Drill Hall Only - West Half (similar to what built).jpg

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Historic Marker:

Pennsylvania National Guard 112th Infantry Regiment. Organized in 1921, the 112th is part of the famed 28th Div., the oldest continuous infantry division in the US Army. The 112th, previously known as the 16th, has origins in the storied 83 PVI regiment formed in Erie in 1861 during the Civil War. It served in the Spanish-American War, WWI, and Iraq and was awarded Presidential Unit Citation in WWII and Korea. For 90 years 112th units served at Erie Armory, a National Registry-listed property. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 2015.